NG0S107 - Introduction To Engineering Design and Problem Solving 01 Apr 2025 - 31 Aug 2027 | Version 2

Associated Module Information

Module Code: NG0S107
Module Title: Introduction To Engineering Design and Problem Solving
Faculty: Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science
Faculty Group: Built Environment and Civil Engineering
Faculty Sub Group: Civil Engineering
Module Leader: Steffan James, Claire Watkins
Module Team: David Dawkins, Lorna Loy, Shane Galvin
First Intended Intake: SEP 2021 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 3
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100182 - engineering design
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 2
Valid From 01 Apr 2025
Valid To 31 Aug 2027

Module Aims

This module introduces students to engineering design problems and challenges them to apply their engineering skills and design knowledge to find new solutions.

Students will be introduced to problem solving techniques related to practical work such as planning, controlling, information processing and presentation. In this part of the module, they will apply critical-thinking skills to justify a solution from multiple design options and select appropriate mathematical models to develop solutions to engineering design problems.

Content Summary

Key topics covered in the module include:

Energy conceptsEnergy efficiency calculationsAnalysis of different environments (e.g. domestic, manufacturing)Creative design skillsGroup management skills

Learners will study the basic requirements of engineering design and problem solving by carrying out “design, make and test” exercises when designing simple devices. Students will take part in workshops where they will create design specification, propose a design concept (initial drawing and final drawing), create paper designs of your idea and calculate the energy efficiency of it. They will then move to laboratories to make their device and finally test its operation.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Seminar 60
Practical classes and workshops 10
Directed Study 120
Formative Assessment - Independent 10
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Analyse a problem, break it down into constituent parts, recognise the knowledge required for a novel solution and communicate the solution in a concise written form.
LO2 Show understanding of the theoretical concepts of energy; carrying out simple calculations to improve the energy efficiency and design of domestic/ manufacturing environments.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Report 1 An individual written report evaluating energy efficiency in a given environment. 0 600 20 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Project Output 1 Students are presented with a number of practical problems relevant to engineering designs and are required to apply “design, make and test” exercises and propose novel solutions to the problems. Students will select three out of the tasks listed below to submit, in addition to a written reflection on one of the tasks: 0 N/A 40 No 40
Synchronous Online Assessment Classroom Test - Time Constrained (Online) 1 Students sit a class test which covers module content. 60 N/A 40 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Report 1
Project Output 1
Classroom Test - Time Constrained (Online) 1

Reading List

Ashby, M.F. and Jones, D.R.H. (2012) Engineering materials 1: an introduction to properties, applications and design (Vol. 1). Elsevier.

Eide, A.R., Jenison, R.D., Mashaw, L.H. and Northup, L.L. (2011) Introduction to engineering design and problem solving. 5th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Plattner, H., Meinel, C. and Leifer, L. eds. (2010) Design thinking: understand–improve–apply. Springer Science & Business Media.